Ashes
by Graceless Uchiha
Summary: She found it unnerving, carrying the ashes of her good friend between her shaking hands.


.:Ashes:.

She found it unnerving, carrying the ashes of her good friend between her shaking hands. Although in essence, what she grasped in her fingers consisted of a porcelain urn and a pile of ashes, the emotional attachment to the person those ashes once were tugged so sharply at her heart that she needed all her strength just to retain her composure as she placed the small container on an elaborately adorned table. As her doe-like emerald eyes welled with hot tears, she fought through her blurry vision to gaze upon the sad black object, the dim overhead lighting gleaming off the side. Her mind couldn't grasp how someone who had been so much, who had filled her heart with so many things, could reside in such a diminutive thing. Her inner thoughts fought in violence with each other, all of them screaming one simple line that said everything and yet left much to be desired.

He was gone.

Although she had considered herself a bright individual for the entirety of her short life, there were many things lately that she couldn't understand. Why had Kami taken him from her? Why had she allowed herself to become so emotionally attached to him? Why couldn't she be a real ninja, without emotions? Why him? Why?

How could someone be _alive _and _breathing_ one second, and the next--

Slicing her own train of thought in half, Sakura bit her lip, trembling from something beyond cold and suffering, her eyes clenching shut as she wished with all ferocity that things could change.

If only she had trained harder, advanced further in her studies, perhaps she couldn't been strong enough, perhaps she could've saved him, or brought him back, like Chiyo--

Once again afraid of where her thoughts threatened to take her, she ceased thinking altogether, tears staining her cheeks as she cried, softly.

The services would begin in less than thirty minutes. Already, the villagers were gathering in the clearing, offering their condolences to one another and attempting, in vain, to fill in the empty spaces of quiet and the voids in their own souls. It was too bad, Sakura realized with a sob, that there would be no family members here to attend the service, because he _had _no family. 

Behind her, she could discern the whispers of her friends, and she could tell by their hushed tone that they were talking about her. From among the voices, she picked out Ino's somber tone and Hinata's gentle murmur, debating whether or not they should approach her. Out of everyone here, she would be the most affected, of course. No one could possibly understand the relationship she'd held with him, the things she'd felt. They would never truly understand her inner turmoil, her depression and angst, her hatred for her own weakness.

_He's gone._

"Hey, forehead," Ino called to her without her usual cheer, drawing near to her and wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulders as she followed the pink-haired kunoichi's line of vision and sighed. "You looked like you needed some company."

"Yeah…I guess so," Sakura replied, her voice monotonous. Subconsciously, she enjoyed the embrace of her close friend as she grieved the loss of another.

On Ino's opposite side, Hinata stood in silence, gazing upon the ornamented table, silver eyes skimming the photograph and the urn placed there.

The three stood in hushed companionship for an immeasurable amount of time, waiting for the service to begin, for the other mourners to arrive…for the face in the picture to step out of the frame, alive, breathing.

From her peripheral vision, Sakura caught a glimpse of her shishou approaching the table, a painfully sober countenance replacing her usual demeanor. She hesitated, drinking in the pitiful sight before her, and the assemblage of villagers grew silent as they anticipated her words.

Turning to face the crowd, Tsunade's lifeless eyes scanned the crowd, deciding on a spot in the distance to rest her gaze as she cleared her throat and began.

"We gather here today…to honor the death of Uzumaki Naruto."

:.There's been quite a few solemn circumstances around me lately, and I think some of those people deserved something to honor their memory. The idea comes from personal experience. If this story made you feel anything, or you understand what I'm going through, please leave a review.:

:.I listened to "Princess Mononoke Theme Song," "Wind" (the first Naruto ending theme), "Everything" by Lifehouse, "Angel" by Sarah Mclachlan, "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls, and "Swing Life Away" by Rise Against, while writing this.:

:In loving memory of Taylor Rogerson, Kim Harper, and Johnny Lyons:


End file.
